Tokayev greets Xi at presidential palace before talks

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Monday greeted visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Astana. 

Xi landed in the Kazakh capital earlier the same day to attend the second China-Central Asia Summit from Monday to Wednesday at Tokayev’s invitation.

After Xi’s motorcade arrived at the presidential palace, the two heads of state shook hands and posed for photos before heading inside to commence talks. 

At the summit, Xi will deliver a keynote speech, and exchange views with the leaders of the Central Asian countries on the achievements of the China-Central Asia mechanism, mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework, as well as international and regional hotspot issues. The leaders will jointly attend relevant activities. 

Xi is also set to hold separate meetings with the leaders of the other Central Asian countries attending the summit. 

The inaugural China-Central Asia Summit was successfully held in Xi’an, the capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, in May 2023.